German Chancellor declares support of anti-Russia sanctions

Western countries should maintain the dialogue with Russia, Angela Merkel said

German Chancellor Angela Merkel

MUNICH, February 16. /TASS/. Germany supports sanctions against Russia, Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, adding that restrictive measures should be coordinated.

"We support sanctions against Russia. They should be coordinated (with Ukraine)," she said.

Western countries should maintain the dialogue with Russia, German Chancellor said, adding that it is necessary to observe the Russia-NATO Founding Act.

"As before, we are committed to the Russia-NATO Founding Act," she said, adding that "from the geostrategic viewpoint, Europe cannot be interested in breaking the relationship with Russia.".

Economic sanctions were imposed against Russia on July 31, 2014, after the crash of the Malaysian Boeing flight MH17 over Donbass. Since then, they have been extended every six months in unchanged form. In March 2015, the EU summit decided that sanctions could only be lifted after the implementation of the Minsk agreements.